Skip to main content

Southern kingfish

Whiting

Southern kingfish (whiting) on a dark surface, silvery tan with a single chin barbel
SEFSC Pascagoula Laboratory, NOAA/NMFS · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Recognition

Elongate, silvery-gray or tan with a white belly and seven or eight faint dark bars on the sides. Small underslung mouth and one short stiff barbel on the chin.

SC DNR

Waters

Muddy or sand-mud bottoms in shallow coastal water and estuaries, beaches and inlet mouths. In summer, the surf around groins and the sloughs and cuts along open beaches.

SC DNR · SC DNR

Months

Seasonal

Inshore harvest peaks in late spring and early fall. Fish move offshore to spawn April to September and overwinter offshore.

SC DNR

Bait

  • Cut shrimp

SC DNR

Notes

Whiting is the name most used in South Carolina for southern kingfish. Georgia DNR lists it among the state’s five most sought-after fish.

SC DNR

Size and bag limits